Locked Away

{"Today, what is possibly the largest syndicate, touching 195 countries, from infrastructure designers to CEOs, was taken down today with the coordination of insiders. Many members are in rehabilitation as they were coerced through unknown means. We will be keeping you updated. This is Jennifer on Channel 5 News, the only source you can always trust."

I turn off the TV and clean the dishes I've dirtied from my home-cooked dinner. There's enough food for 3 more meals, and it's packed away in the fridge, it will be the next 3 meals of mine, as there's no one to share it with. I live alone after all, who would I share it with?

"Ah, since you're aware of my presence now, I assume I should tell you my story. Well, I won't go too in depth, but I'll explain some things to you. Well, for now just two. One, I'm all powerful. And two: you can call me God. "}

"Brr-ing! Brr-ing!" I wake up with a headache, it seems like my head always hurts when people talk to me, without me wanting to talk to them. I answer the call anyways, taking a swig of water and clearing my voice before I pick up the phone. "Ahem",

"Hello, the number you have dialed is not in service any longer. If you'd like to contact the previous

holder of this number, please use an alternate method. Thank you, goodbye."

I end the call, leaving my phone in the bed as I go to the bathroom and wash up. The room isn't small, but still seems quaint. My bathroom is connected to my bedroom, so I hear the phone ringing a few times, alerting me to 2 more missed calls.

[Maybe I should have turned it off or at least put it on 'Do Not Disturb', so they wouldn't be sure my line's active. Not that it matters all too much, unless I actually switch numbers they'll figure it out eventually if they want.]

I check my phone, before ignoring my messages and putting in earbuds and playing music, put some clothes on and go for a run.

[Fuck! Does this asshole have no life!]

A man with slicked back hair, and a tuxedo with a rose in pocket, was waiting on the last corner I run every morning.

"Hey bud, fancy meeting you here", says Jack slimily.

I reply in a similar tone, "It'd be a fancy meeting if I came across your dead body. But you expect me to believe you just happened to be standing in my path at 3:30 in the morning?"

"You can't blame me, I was on a run myself. You sure you're not stalking me instead?" He replies shamelessly.

[You're wearing a full-on suit, for God knows why, and you have the nerve to say you're on a run?? I give up. ]

I deigned to reply and simply kept running. I ran 10 miles every morning and in bickering with that clown, I stopped and my heart rate slowed. The purpose of the exercise was to have my heart rate under control for an extended amount of time.

[It seems I'll have to begin another 10 miles.] I think while sighing heavily.

I hear a voice in the distance. It's Jack's, "I won't keep bothering your training, but answer my calls next time, got it!"

[I really should've turned on 'Do Not Disturb']

The rest of my day was quiet. I own a bookstore cafe, which is nice, since I'm rather lazy when it comes to running a business. I just study all day, leaving my customers in the rather capable hands of my assistant.

A beautiful loli you ask? Sadly, I can't afford such luxuries. I don't have a sister nor parents to beat into giving me one *sigh* she would have made an excellent employee. I wouldn't even have to pay her... couldn't ask for a better employee.

A middle aged man is off limits, a middle aged woman is too for that matter. Well, if she's really pretty I might've made and exception.

Elderly would be nice. They have no aspirations left and only do things for the ones they regard as grandchildren. Imagine the perfect superhero butler with no family but treats you as one. Once again... NO PAY REQUIRED! Utter bliss!

I suppose that's another reason I don't have a young employee. I need loyalty in case they learn of my progress towards my lofty aspirations, and they probably would.

So my 'employee' is a robot I created. Unbeknownst to my customers, and the world, of I'd be in a bit of trouble. I have a rather large fortune, gained from information selling. Growing up in an orphanage, I was fortunate that my facility was selected as one for testing.

Sadly, not genetic enhancements, just educational testing. We were given special teaching, which is just a nice way of saying knowledge was forced down our throats at an accelerated pace. That is by no means to say that everyone was able to learn.

As long as one student understood then the group would be separated so the best student could receive teachings at the same pace, then continuously faster, until they couldn't handle learning at a rate any faster.

Since I was in first place, I felt the schooling was pretty nice. They taught additional subjects according to our personal interests, and as a science enthusiast, I got to learn plenty, including computer science, which I needed a computer for, so they gave me one.

Unfortunately, good things never last, and everyone died in an explosion. For all that we got to learn, it was all conducted in our old orphanage building, and Ella, the second place student, was a science nerd as well, but where I am mechanically inclined, she was more intrigued in chemistry. She attempted making a poisonous explosive that could end a war without accruing casualties on her side.

I snuck outside to steal parts to build with when it happened. By the time I ran back the firefighters were there. The poison spread before the fire, so when the fire spread it burned away the poison in the air or the firefighters would have died, but the poison killed my family before the fire got to them.

They all had killed themselves in pain.

At least, all the bodies that were recognizable.